Bell top for filling valves



June 10, 1941.

C. S. MULLENIX BELL TOP FOR FILLING VALVES Filed March 20, 1939 (Zeal erATTORNfJYS.

Patented June 10, 1941 NITED 7 PA ENT f 2,244,891

, signer to The-Liquid Carboniqflorporation, .1

V V QChicagoJll}, acorporation of Delaware, I

' m ie We estim te w "lo'c a m 10 .7 9!

The present invention relates to improvements in valves for bottlefilling apparatus of the type adapted to deposit carbonated water, beer,or a similar'material, in the bottles. r

As a rule,'in'fmachines ff th is provided a rotary head in WhiChtheliquid to befiowed into the bottle'is containe and" this head carries aseries ofwalves orfilling heads, each of whieh'is adapted tofeont'act abo ttl'eand deposit sufiicient "contents therein to fillthe bot He orcontainer tothe desired'poi-nt.

. 'As 8/ru1,'f0i the ur ose of operating the fill mg valve, thebottlesarefthro'ugh a suitable earn mechanism, during their"*rotative movement;raised and lowered 'to' receive a filling tube'of the valve andoperatesuitafble' mechan m to permit the liquid to flow therein.) 1 i I V Oneof the objects of the present invention is to provide 'a'bell topor-bottle'engaging member for a filling valve which maybe readilyremoved from its associatedpartsffor the purpose of cleaning, not onlythe 'bell top itself but certain 01 the parts of theflllin'g -valve andwhich" also will reduce the jar'ori impact soff'requehtly accompanyingthe" rapid v overnent of'a 'd'evice'oi thischa'racten' For thepurposefof disclosing the invention, 1 have illustrated an embodimentthereof in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig.1 is a longitudinal sectional viewer a filling valve" embodyinginiinVent'ibhi and l Fig; 2 is a transverse'sectional' view on the line'2-2ofFig.1." Referring 'to the'structur'e illustrated in theaccompanying drawing," the valve" and aeor'm panying mechanism comprisesa base I which is connected toa nd forms apart of the bottom of the, asa rule, annular" tank 'of" the filling machine. Extendingdownwardly fromthis base I is' atfilling tub'Z adapted, as the bottle is raised bythe'cammech'a'nisni, to be projected into the bottle to' a point nearthebottom This tube communicates withtheint'erior of theliquid supply tankandha s-its lower end normally closed through the medium ofa"pear-shaped valve 3 which is secured to the lower end of an operatingstem or rod 4. The upper end of this stem or 'rod'is connected; througha suitabledis'connectible joint5 with adiaphiagm 6 arranged in a chamberT. fiThischamber} above the 'diaphragm, communicateswitlithe tubes 8between the baseportionil and ahead? It which,in turn, has clamped aboyethe topasupplemental' head l2 between which and the head l-l isclarnpe'd-the diaphragm. 4

'5 character, there The base portion I isprovided'withfa' neck 13provided with an extensmn' H connected with'the hec'tk by a u'n'ion I5.Xt'e'hSiOri carries a valve member 15" provided with 'an' -inleflport orpassage ['6 adapted to beooh'ne'ctefd' with a source or pressureifaridthe valvefnie'niber15-" is provided with an: annular's'eatf f6 withfwhicliis' adapted" to cooperate mam-1111a; valve I'Fbiased in closedpositionlbya coiled spririg lay" This valve lTis' provided with adownwardly extendifig sleeve 19' surrounding" the bottle fillingtube 2and projecting below the bottom "of *the' {valve member 15', and;belowhe ru'bber seat ZO-ar- 'ran'g'e'd in the valve 'iheinber; f1 2 f pMounted to reciprocate o'n the fillirigtlibje' 2- is a bell'tophead 2!which includes a centering bell 22"" adapted toireceive "the neck v ofthe -ascehdin'g' bottle. a A' rubber seat member zs within the bell isarranged to engage the topof the neck of the bbttlandf seal the bottleagaih'stsurmunding an mosphere. This centering bell is th'readed iiponatop section 24 between 'whicha'nd a shoulder on thefcentering bell 22,the 'seal-ingfrubber2'3 is clamped. The upper end of this bodyportion 24is"provided with an openihg 25 "surrounding thestem! and this opening of'sufiicient 'diame ter to permit it to-"pass a' fe'rrul'elfi' threadedand preferably soldered'u'pon' the lowerend of the tube 2". i Aretaining member for preventing the belltop from normally dropping offthe end ofthe'filling tube 2-is arranged within th top section- 24" andcomprises; a split ring '21 having an ihtur'ned flange 28 at itsbo'ttoin. The top edge of this ring is provided with inwardly-extendingspiders 29 terminating in a split hub 30 which is ex tended" upwardlyto" provide a sleeve projection 3|, This hub '30, while surrounding thefilling tube 2 has a bore sufiicientl'y' small in-"diameter to preventit *trom passiri' over the ferru1e261 Interposed between a" should'enfl"on the body portion and thespider arms 29, and. surround ing thesleeve'h'ub3'l" is a coiled spring'33"which biases the assembly'stru'cturejust described against the sealing rubber'fl, a nietalwasher32' being adapted to cover the upper face of this sealing'rubber'. 7 i IIn operatiomas thebottle to be filled-raised, it'first engagesthesealingrubber-23' of the" bell mouth 22', thereby moving theentirebell topupwardly on thefilling tube '2 until the upper portion of this bell topng'ages' thei sleeve H! which, in" turn, opens the" valve 1'! and, atthe same time, causes a sealing engagement between theupper lip 34 and;the sealing rubber 201 The opening of this valve admits pressure throughthe ports 35 to the chamber 8 and thence through suitable passages 36above the diaphragm 6, therefore causing an opening of the pear-shapedvalve 3 and permitting the flow of the filling liquid into the bottle.After the liquid level has reached the predetermined point in thebottle, the bottle commences to descend and, as the result of itsdescending movement, shuts off the flow of liquid thereint'o. With thedescent of the bottle, of course the bell top descends and is eventuallystopped by engagement of the hub 3G with the ferrule 26.

The reciprocating movement of the bottle in this type of filling machineis comparatively rapid, particularly on its downward movement, andheretofore difficulty has been experienced as a result of said downwardmovement in the bell top head striking its bottom limiting stop withsuch a,

jar as to not only tend to damage the parts but also tend to causefoaming of the contents of the tube. The liquid discharged into thebottle through the filling tube is as a rule a carbonated beverage ofsome character, beer, carbonated water for carbonated beverages, or thelike. A sudden jar of the liquid contained in the tube after thepearshaped valve 3 has been closed, will tend to liberate the CO2 inthis column of liquid and therefore, as soon as the next bottle is in afilling position, this agitated column of liquid witha certain amount ofCO2 liberated therein will flow into the bottle, causing a foaming ofthe contents therein, particularly where the liquid is admitted on topof a syrup. This is particularly truewith respect to beer. Due to thefact that, in the present structure, the jar or shock of the stoppingmovement of the bell top is taken up by the spring 33 no such jar orimpact is imparted to the column of liquid in the filling tube 2 andtherefore the liquid contained therein remains in its quiescent state.

If, for any reason, it becomes necessary to remove the bell top head 2|and its associated parts, from the filling tube 2', the centering'bell22 may be unscrewed from the top section 24 carrying with it the sealingrubber 23 and associated washer 32', the top section 24 may then beraised on the tube 2 exposing the split ring 21. By'removing the coiledspring 33 from the sleeve portion 3|, the split ring may be separatedand removed from the filling tube 2, after which the spring 33 and topportion 24 may be slid down over the end of the tube and over theferrule 26. The opening '25 in thetop portion 24 and the spring 33 aresufliciently large to pass over this ferrule 26;

Due to the fact that the bell head 2| may be so readily removed and dueto the fact that the valve member is'threaded on the extension It, thevalve member, with its associated valve parts, may also be readilyremoved for cleaning, repair, etc., without removing the filling tube 2which can remain closedand thus the necessity of draining the fillertank for the purpose of repair of these parts is avoided. Y

I" claim as my invention:

1. In a filling valve for containerfilling machines, the combinationwith afilling tube adapted to be projected into the container to befilled, of a bell top adapted to engage and seal'the neck of thecontainer to be filled surrounding and reciprocating upon said fillingtube, a ferrule secured at the lower end of said tube, a removableferrule engaging member arranged in said bell top adapted to engage saidferrule and a spring interposed between said ferrule engaging member andsaid bell top to absorb the shock or said engagement.

2. In a filling valve for container filling machines, the combinationwith a, filling tube adapted to be projected into the container to befilled, of a bell top adapted to engage and seal the neck of thecontainer to be filled and having an opening therethrough to accommodatethe passage of said filling tube, an annular stop member secured to thebottom end of said tube, the opening through said bell top being greaterin diameter than said annular stop member, a removable reciprocatingmember arranged within said bell top' member having an opening ofsmaller diameter than said annular stop member and adapted to engagesaid annular stop member to limit the downward movement of said bell topmember, and a spring interposed between said annular stop engagingmember and the bell top member.

3. In a filling valve for container filling machines, the combinationwith a filling tube adapted to be projected into the container to befilled, of a bell top adapted to engage and seal the neck of thecontainer comprising a housing surrounding and reciprocating upon saidtube, and a bell mouth secured to said housing, an annular stop membersecured to the lower end of said tube, an axially movable separablestopengaging member arranged within said housing having an opening forthe passage of said tube smaller in diameter than said annular stop, anda coiled spring interposed between the top of said housing and said stopengaging member.

4. In a filling valve for container filling ma chines, the combinationwith a filling tube adapted to be projected into the container to befilled, of a bell top adapted to engage and seal the neck of thecontainer to be filled, comprising a bell mouth and a housing havingaxially aligned openings therein to permit the passage therethrough ofthe delivery tube, an annular stop member mounted on the lower end ofsaid tube, said axially aligned openings being of greater diameter thansaid annular stop member, a separable reciprocating stop engaging memberarranged within said housing having an opening therein smaller indiameter than said annular stop but sufficiently large to accommodatesaid tube andcomprising an annular piston fitting within and verticallymovable in said housing and having extending therefrom a restricted neckand a coiled spring surrounding said neck and interposed between saidpiston and the top of said housing.

5. In a filling valve for container'filling machines, the combinationwith a filling tube adapted to be projected into the contain-er to befilled, of a bell top surrounding said tube and adapted to engage andseal the neck of the container to be filled, comprising a bell mouth anda, housing separably connected together and having axially alignedopenings therein to permit the passage therethrough of the deliverytube, an annular stop secured on the lower end of the tube, said axiallyaligned openings being of greater diameter than the annular stop member,a split ring arranged within said housing having an opening thereinsmaller in diameter than the annular stop but sufiiciently large toaccommodate the tube, and'a coiled spring interposed between said ringand housing.

6. In a filling valve for container filling machines, the combinationwith a filling tube adapted to be projected into the container to befilled, of a bell top surrounding said tube and adapted to engage andseal the neck of the container to be filled, comprising a bell mouth anda housing separably connected to said bell mouth having axially alignedopenings to permit the passage therethrough of the delivery tube, a stopmember mounted at the lower end of said tube, said axially alignedopenings being of greater diameter than the stop member, a splitstop-engaging member surrounding said tube having a sleeve, and a coiledspring surrounding said sleeve and interposed between the stop engagingmember and the housing.

7. In a filling valve for container filling machines, the combinationwith a filling tube adapted to be projected into the container to befilled and having an enlarged ferrule at the lower end thereof, of abell top adapted to engage and seal the container to be filled andhaving an opening in the top thereof to permit the passage therethroughof said ferrule and removable ferrule-engaging means surrounding'saidtube, of greater diameter than said opening for normally preventing saidbell top from dropp off the end of said tube when a container is removedfrom beneath the same and comprising separable segments.

8. 'In a filling valve for container filling machines, the combmationwith a filling tube adapted to be projected into the container to befilled and having an enlarged ferrule at the lower end thereof, of abell top adapted to engage and seal the container to be filled andhaving an opening in the top thereof to permit the passage therethroughof said tube, a removable ferrule-engaging means surrounding said tubeand of greater diameter than said opening and resilient means interposedbetween said ferrule-engaging means and said bell top.

9. In a filling valve for container filling machines, the combinationwith a filling tube adapted to be projected into the container to befilled, of a bell top adapted to engage and seal the neck of thecontainer to be filled comprising a bell mouth and a housing havingaxially. aligned openings therein to perm-it the passage therethrough'ofthe delivery tube, an annular stop member mounted on the lower end ofsaid tube, said axially aligned openings being of greater diameter thansaid annular stop member, and a separable reciprocating stop-engagingmember arranged within said housing having an opening therein smaller indiameter than said annular stop but sufiiciently large to engage saidtube and having a portion adapted to be engaged by said housing tonormally prevent the removal of said bell mouth from said tube.

-10. In a filling valve for container filling machines, the combinationwith a filling tube adapted to be projected into the container to befilled, of a bell top surrounding said tube and adapted to engage andseal the neck of the container to be filled comprising a bell mouth anda housing separably connected together and having axially alignedopenings therein to permit the passage therethrough of the deliverytube, an annular stop secured to the lower end of the tube, said axiallyaligned openings being of greater diameter than the annular stop memberand a split ring arranged within said housing having an opening thereinsmaller in diameter than the annular stop but suflieiently large toaccommodate the tube and having a portion adapted to be engaged by saidhousing to normally prevent the removal of the same from said tube.

CHESTER SY'LVESTER MULLENIX.

